Cheating

News about Cheating, including commentary and archival articles published in The New York Times.

Chronology of Coverage

Jul. 29, 2015

Michael Powell Sports of The Times column discusses New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady's insistence that he knew nothing about deflated footballs in 2014 playoff game in light of NFL findings that he ordered destruction of cell phone which may have contained evidence against him. MORE

Jul. 28, 2015

Memo released by New York City Education Dept says former Teachers College Community School principal Jeanene Worrell-Breeden, who committed suicide on April 17, acknowledged that she forged answers on students’ state English exams because students had not finished tests. MORE

Jun. 30, 2015

Thirteen Metro-North employees are charged with cheating and helping others cheat on train conductor and engineer exams; 12 are arrested and plead not guilty; four of accused are fired and nine are suspended. MORE

Jun. 17, 2015

Tyler Kepner On Baseball column muses on where to draw line between fair and unfair gathering and sharing of information about teams and players; cites FBI investigation into whether St Louis Cardinals broke into proprietary database of Houston Astros and holds that such a move would definitely cross line. MORE

Jun. 14, 2015

Gray Matter column by Kevin A Hassett and Stan A Veuger describes their study, published by American Enterprise Institute, into so-called Deflategate controversy over New England Patriots violating rules by using deflated footballs; suggests that report commissioned by NFL about controversy is unreliable. MORE

Jun. 1, 2015

Editorial argues that retraction by journal Science of poorly-vetted study finding that gay political canvassers could change voters' views on same-sex marriage underscores need to address alarming uptick of cheating and fraud in scientific and academic papers; calls on scientific community to create more robust data validation process, and recommends increased federal funding for investigation of fraudulent research. MORE

May. 21, 2015

New England Patriots owner Robert K Kraft announces that he is accepting NFL's decision to fine his team $1 million and forfeit two draft choices as part of discipline for deflated footballs scandal; NFL commissioner Roger Goodell believes Kraft's decision to accept punishment is not tied to quarterback Tom Brady's appeal. MORE

May. 15, 2015

David Waldstein On Pro Football column says that New England Patriots, in attempt to convey inconsistencies in Theodore V Wells's report detailing team's apparent deflation of footballs to suit quarterback Tom Brady, release lengthy rebuttal--setting team on course directly at odds with league. MORE

May. 15, 2015

New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady formally appeals his four-game suspension for his role in deflated footballs scandal; NFL commissioner Roger Goodell says he will hear appeal. MORE

May. 13, 2015

Jere Longman On Pro Football column holds that NFL's four-game suspension of New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady is ridiculous given long tradition of teams and players in all sports trying to gain advantage by manipulating equipment. MORE

May. 12, 2015

NFL suspends New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady for four regular-season games without pay, charging that Brady deliberately violated league rules by scheming to deflate footballs in 2014-15 AFC championship game; also fines Patriots $1 million and takes away two future draft picks; move signals rare and significant rebuke to Brady, considered one of most popular and successful quarterbacks in league. MORE

May. 11, 2015

New England Patriots fans in Boston show support for team and quarterback Tom Brady, accused of conspiring with two Patriots employees to deflate footballs in AFC championship game against Indianapolis Colts. MORE

May. 8, 2015

Jim McNally, part-time locker room attendant for New England Patriots officials, appears to be central figure in team's ball-deflation scandal; joins long list of clubhouse aides and hangers-on who have helped sports players cheat. MORE

May. 8, 2015

Deflated ball scandal is just latest example of New England Patriots cheating at the game; several former incidents noted. MORE

May. 8, 2015

William C Rhoden Sports of The Times column urges NFL to make an example out of New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady by serving him a harsh penalty for eroding standards of competition by cheating. MORE

May. 8, 2015

Several experts in sports law, management or ethics share their thoughts on how NFL should discipline New England Patriots and quarterback Tom Brady for their role in deflating footballs. MORE

May. 8, 2015

New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady attends discussion at Salem State University, his first public appearance since report about 'deflategate' was released; says he will address report's claim that he was generally aware of Patriots personnel deflating footballs to gain an advantage. MORE

May. 7, 2015

NFL releases report on so-called 'Deflategate' scandal, concluding that staff of New England Patriots tampered with game-day footballs during 2014-15 AFC championship playoff game; asserts that Patriots quarterback Tom Brady surely had some awareness that air had been released from balls, making them easier to grip; findings taint Patriots' Super Bowl title and tarnish legacy of one of most elite quarterbacks in NFL history. MORE

May. 7, 2015

Juliet Macur Sports of The Times holds that New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady's legacy is now up for debate after investigators find that he was likely aware of deflated footballs used during AFC championship game against Indianapolis Colts. MORE

May. 7, 2015

Scientists around the country respect Princeton physics professor Daniel R Marlow and his conclusion that New England Patriots almost certainly tampered with footballs by improperly deflating them to help team win playoff game against Indianapolis Colts. MORE

May. 7, 2015

Theodore V Wells Jr, one of best-known trial lawyers in public corruption and insider trading cases, led investigation into case of New England Patriots deflated footballs. MORE

May. 1, 2015

Judge Jerry W Baxter reduces sentences for three former Atlanta administrators in cheating case from seven years in prison to three. MORE

Apr. 15, 2015

Fulton County Superior Court Judge Jerry W Baxter sentences eight of 10 educators convicted of racketeering in Atlanta public school cheating scandal to prison terms of up to seven years; unexpectedly stiff sentences are handed down after educators refused to take sentencing deals that were predicated on their acceptance of responsibility and waiver of right to appeal. MORE

Apr. 14, 2015

Fulton County Superior Court Judge Jerry W Baxter urges prosecutors and defense lawyers to work out appropriate sentencing deal for 10 Atlanta public school educators, all convicted of racketeering and other charges in one of nation's largest school cheating scandals. MORE

Apr. 6, 2015

Many college and university administrators are implementing anti-cheating technologies as they expand online course offerings, which they say is important to give online learning legitimacy; rise of automated student analysis services, like software Proctortrack from Verificient Technologies that uses web camera to monitor students, is raising questions of efficacy and propriety. MORE

Apr. 2, 2015

Fulton County Superior Court jury convicts 11 of 12 Atlanta educators accused of racketeering in standardized test cheating scandal; felony carries up to 20 years in prison; many of defendants are also convicted of other charges that could add years more to sentences; 2013 indictments followed years of questions about how Atlanta students had significantly improved scores on statewide test. MORE

Mar. 17, 2015

Closing arguments begin in trial of 12 Atlanta educators accused of cheating in connection with significant increases in Atlanta public school test scores; prosecutors accuse defendants of endemic cheating and criminal misconduct that includes racketeering; educators could face decades in prison if convicted. MORE

Mar. 14, 2015

Joe Nocera Op-Ed column contends NCAA, in condemning Syracuse University basketball coach Jim Boeheim for pattern of academic fraud among players, is abusing its considerable power; holds while team is guilty of violations, NCAA has exaggerated those offenses for some unknown reason. MORE

Mar. 10, 2015

Report released by NCAA finds community center Oneida Family YMCA aided in widespread cheating at Syracuse University; says center's chief executive officer Hank Leo and youth sports coordinator Jeff Cornish, both closely tied to college's men's athletics programs, helped players get credit for fake internships and other handouts, and also funded non-players; findings are from years of investigations into allegations of university's elaborate system for circumventing rules governing college athletics. MORE

Mar. 3, 2015

Legal team of Beverly L Hall, former superintendent of Atlanta public schools who was awaiting criminal trial for her alleged involvement in conspiracy to change students' standardized test results, says she has died after suffering from breast cancer. MORE

Jan. 29, 2015

Experts and laymen alike across nation are speculating about deflated football scandal surrounding the New England Patriots following their AFC Championship victory; issue has received extensive media attention, with many seeing it as a proxy for the issue of cheating in sports, and others arguing that it has been overblown. MORE

Jan. 24, 2015

NFL is investigating whether New England Patriots intentionally deflated balls it used in AFC championship game against Indianapolis Colts, which Patriots won to advance to Super Bowl, opening up discussion on gamesmanship and cheating. MORE

Jan. 24, 2015

Sports betting website Covers finds that New England Patriots exceeded spread 80 percent of time in wet conditions over past 12 seasons, compared with 56 percent in dry conditions during same period; analysis comes as NFL investigates whether Patriots intentionally deflated ball used in AFC championship game against Indianapolis Colts. MORE

Jan. 24, 2015

NFL confirms that footballs used by New England Patriots during AFC championship game against Indianapolis Colts were underinflated, but has yet to determine whether it was intentional. MORE

Nov. 11, 2014

Former Georgia Gov Sonny Perdue testifies during trial of 12 Atlanta public school educators who prosecutors accuse of participating in cheating plot; says wrongdoing was pervasive and that academic officials tried to impede public accounting of it. MORE

Nov. 2, 2014

Matt Richtel Applied Science column examines research showing that people are more likely to lie or cheat in the afternoon and evening, when their brains are tired. MORE

Oct. 30, 2014

Educational Testing Service, company that administers SAT tests around world, says it is withholding scores for thousands of Chinese and South Korean students following cheating allegations; announcement comes just days before early application deadlines for most American colleges and universities. MORE

Sep. 30, 2014

Criminal trial begins for 12 public school educators in Atlanta accused of conspiring to change student's test scores in effort to protect their jobs and win favor and bonuses from administrators begins; all have pleaded not guilty. MORE

Aug. 29, 2014

Notre Dame reserve safety Eilar Hardy will join four higher-profile football players being held out of practice and competition during investigation into accusations of academic fraud. MORE

Aug. 23, 2014

Bruce Koloshi of Summit, NJ, pleads guilty to cheating at the Mohegan Sun casino in Connecticut and is sentenced to the 10 months he has served in prison since his arrest; he is also barred from all casinos in the state; Koloshi, who marked cards with supposedly invisible ink that only he could see with special contact lenses, faces felony charges in Louisiana for doing the same thing. MORE

Aug. 20, 2014

Notre Dame, a top college football program known for academic rigor, is wrestling with allegations that four of its football players cheated in class. MORE

Aug. 16, 2014

Notre Dame football team benches KeiVarae Russell, DaVaris Daniels, Ishaq Williams and Kendall Moore while school investigates incident of what it is calling 'suspected academic dishonesty.' MORE

Aug. 11, 2014

Jury selection is set to begin for 12 former Atlanta Public Schools employees accused of conspiring to alter and boost students' standardized test scores; scandal in Atlanta is one of a number that have surfaced around the country, as standardized testing has become more central to the effort of identifying weaknesses in public schools and in distributing merit pay to teachers. MORE

May. 9, 2014

Pennsylvania Atty Gen Kathleen Kane says a principal and four teachers at Cayuga Elementary School in Philadelphia promoted cheating on standardized tests for five years by providing answers to students and improperly reviewing questions before administering the tests. MORE

Apr. 18, 2014

Court of Arbitration for Sport exonerates six officials who were implicated in a judging scandal, annulling a decision by the governing body for rhythmic gymnastics; cheating was said to have occurred in 2012 in testing rooms across Europe, where judges were seeking to qualify to officiate at elite competitions like 2016 Summer Olympics. MORE

Apr. 13, 2014

Concerns that high number of students are failing to abide by university honor codes has prompted some institutions to adopt new measures to dissuade cheating; for some, failing honor code is distressing indicator of changing societal ethics. MORE